FPAC and Earth Rangers Announce Living Forests Initiative

Vancouver, BC, March 15, 2018 – Healthy, vibrant and sustainable Canadian forests is the theme of a new youth-focused initiative announced today by Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and Earth Rangers, the kids’ conservation organization.

Announced on the sidelines of the GLOBE Forum, the largest and longest-running leadership summit for sustainable business in North America, the joint Living Forests Initiative will focus on educating youth about the many benefits healthy, living forests provide – and what needs to be done to ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come.

To help raise awareness of the central role forests play for all life in Canada, the initiative kicks off on May 1, 2018 with the launch the first ever Earth Rangers Living Forests Photo Competition, which is open to aspiring photographers aged 12 and under across Canada. Categories include “best wildlife photo”, “best forest landscape” and “best tree photo”. A panel of expert judges will review all entries, and prizes will be awarded for the top photos in each category after the competition wraps up on June 18, 2018.

Canadian forests provide huge environmental, economic, and social benefits. Home to almost 70 per cent of Canada’s terrestrial species, healthy forests provide us with the air with breathe and help reduce the impacts of climate change. They also play a crucial role in Canada’s economy, with the forestry sector acting as one of the largest sources of employment in the country while also supplying important products like lumber and newsprint.

“As future stewards of some of the world’s most vibrant forests, kids in Canada need to have a direct stake in the health of this incredible natural resource. Earth Rangers is looking forward to working with FPAC on this exciting new initiative to help educate and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.”

“We view this partnership with Earth Rangers as an important part of FPAC’s continuing efforts to engage and communicate to the public the important work our sector plays in sustainable resource management and putting Canadians to work.”

About Earth Rangers

Earth Rangers is the kids’ conservation organization, committed to instilling environmental knowledge, positivity, and the confidence to take action in every child in Canada. We do this through a suite of free programming that children can participate in at school, at home, and in their communities. All of these programs are educational and engaging – but more importantly, they show children that it’s not too late to help the planet, and the things we do today will matter tomorrow. Earth Rangers has more than 175,000 members aged 6-12 across Canada who have each made a commitment to do their part to protect animals and their homes. www.earthrangers.org

About FPAC

FPAC provides a voice for Canada’s wood, pulp, and paper producers nationally and internationally in government, trade, and environmental affairs. The $69-billion-a-year forest products industry represents 2 per cent of Canada’s GDP and is one of Canada’s largest employers operating in over 600 communities, providing 230,000 direct jobs, and 1 million indirect jobs across the country. The forest products sector is a world leader in sustainable forest management; we are a critical partner in the fight against climate change and have invested 1.5 billion dollars in clean technology in the last five years.